Not knowing how long he'd be gone, Ru rushed about their small campsite. Beli lounged near where the bedrolls had been laid out, his great head resting on his front paws as his four pitch black eyes tracked her movements. She could feel his bemusement, but ignored it. There was much to do.
As they'd walked that day, she collected what she could. There was little that would work out in the wilderness of the Orlesian back country, certainly not what she needed for a cake, but surely the thought and effort would mean just as much. Though it pained her heart just a little bit, Lirulin committed the last of the bread she had brought with her to this endeavor. It was old and stale anyway. If they didn't eat it now, it would waste. So why not?'
With the bread, she arranged the berries she'd found when they stopped for water at mid day. While Avi was busy splashing his face in the stream, she'd found the bush and its green fruits. Concentrating, she'd put her hands on the leaves, feeling the connection instantly. Through her new strange power, it took just a bit of concentration to pull the energy needed from the light piercing through the forest canopy and up from the roots in the dirt. The berries grew and reddened. When they were near black, she lifted her hands away and then hurried to pluck them from the bush before Avi noticed what she was doing. It took a great deal of discipline to keep her hand out of her satchel as they continued their trek.
For the final touch, she closed her eyes, opening her heart to the world around her. She was fairly certain that, somewhere nearby.... There! Opening her eyes, Ru hurried away from the camp site. Beli's head lifted abruptly from his paws. With a huff, he lifted his silver frame from the ground and trotted after her.
The wolf found her swaying near a fallen tree that had caught against another, forming an angle with its half rotten trunk. In that trunk, swarmed a colony of bees, buzzing to and from the honeycomb hive they'd created. The buzz, at first a chaos, slowly formed itself into a singular, steady hum. It vibrated in time with Ru's swaying. After a few more moments, she stepped forward, lifting her hands to the honeycomb. Where she moved, the bees made way, parting and reforming. When she came away, her hands held a portion of the comb, honey filling its hexagonal pores.
Back at the camp, Ru laid out her cleanest scarf across a large, flat rock, then arranged her surprise for Avi on their dingy mess kit plates. It was just in time. She and Beli both turned their heads as they sensed the approach of their brothers. Smiling, Ru stood, rushing to meet Avi as he entered the clearing.
"Happy birthday!" she exclaimed,
As they'd walked that day, she collected what she could. There was little that would work out in the wilderness of the Orlesian back country, certainly not what she needed for a cake, but surely the thought and effort would mean just as much. Though it pained her heart just a little bit, Lirulin committed the last of the bread she had brought with her to this endeavor. It was old and stale anyway. If they didn't eat it now, it would waste. So why not?'
With the bread, she arranged the berries she'd found when they stopped for water at mid day. While Avi was busy splashing his face in the stream, she'd found the bush and its green fruits. Concentrating, she'd put her hands on the leaves, feeling the connection instantly. Through her new strange power, it took just a bit of concentration to pull the energy needed from the light piercing through the forest canopy and up from the roots in the dirt. The berries grew and reddened. When they were near black, she lifted her hands away and then hurried to pluck them from the bush before Avi noticed what she was doing. It took a great deal of discipline to keep her hand out of her satchel as they continued their trek.
For the final touch, she closed her eyes, opening her heart to the world around her. She was fairly certain that, somewhere nearby.... There! Opening her eyes, Ru hurried away from the camp site. Beli's head lifted abruptly from his paws. With a huff, he lifted his silver frame from the ground and trotted after her.
The wolf found her swaying near a fallen tree that had caught against another, forming an angle with its half rotten trunk. In that trunk, swarmed a colony of bees, buzzing to and from the honeycomb hive they'd created. The buzz, at first a chaos, slowly formed itself into a singular, steady hum. It vibrated in time with Ru's swaying. After a few more moments, she stepped forward, lifting her hands to the honeycomb. Where she moved, the bees made way, parting and reforming. When she came away, her hands held a portion of the comb, honey filling its hexagonal pores.
Back at the camp, Ru laid out her cleanest scarf across a large, flat rock, then arranged her surprise for Avi on their dingy mess kit plates. It was just in time. She and Beli both turned their heads as they sensed the approach of their brothers. Smiling, Ru stood, rushing to meet Avi as he entered the clearing.
"Happy birthday!" she exclaimed,
06-22-2024, 01:08 PM
